Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KCJazzLark provides a then-and-now look at several historic sites in the jazz district.

*Burt Bacharach references Mary Lou Williams, Count Basie and Teddy Wilson in an interview published by The Pitch.  (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

*The 100th show of Joe Dimino's Neon Jazz features a dozen Kansas City artists.

*The Pitch's new jazz scribe previews a gig at the Blue Room featuring the Jazz Disciples and Book of Gaia.

*Nate Chinen interviewed Pat Metheny and John Zorn about Tap: The Book of Angels, Vol. 20.  Tom Moon also analyzed the project.  The album was released yesterday.

*The Marshall Democrat-News recaps last weekend's Bob James Jazz Festival.

*Here's another installment of "Blues In the News" from 12th Street Jump.

*Tweet o' the Week: negroleaguesmusuem- Alex Bugnon just performed a soulful salute to the late Isaac Hayes! #nlbm

*Comment o' the Week: Anonymous- mmm Jazooo, what a F@#$ing joke.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Review: The Matt Otto Quartet featuring Alan Ferber at Westport Coffee House

I read a startling new interview with Don Was, the president of Blue Note Records, a few hours before I attended a performance at Westport Coffee House last Thursday.

In describing his vision for Blue Note, Was explained that he intends to avoid promoting what he characterized as "selfish music."  From The Philadelphia Inquirer story:  "It's music made by self-centered [expletives] who get up on stage and say, 'Check this out, look what I can do.' We're not interested in that. We're interested in generous music."

Under Was' tenure, Blue Note has released high-profile albums by Robert Glasper, José James, Aaron Neville and Gregory Porter.  These "groove"-based artists have little in common with the music presented Thursday by a band featuring the visiting trombonist Alan Ferber, saxophonist Matt Otto, bassist Jeff Harshbarger and drummer Brian Steever.

The audience of less than twenty consisted almost entirely of musicians, the significant others of musicians, journalists and a dorky jazz blogger.  Could the low turnout be a reflection of Was' assertion about "selfish" music?

I don't think so. 

I would have gladly paid the $10 cover just to see and hear the joy-infused interaction between Harshbarger and Steever.  Besides, Otto and Ferber are notably creative composers.  The original material they brought to the gig was filled with intriguing twists and turns.  Their playing was correspondingly exceptional.  My admiration of Otto's work is extensively documented at Plastic Sax.  Ferber co-led the 2009 album In the Paint with David Binney and was a member of Esperanza Spalding's band when she appeared at the Kauffman Center last year.  Those collaborations are indicative of the forward-thinking approach displayed Thursday.

While the two sets featured plenty of solos, few could have been mistaken for self-glorifying exhibitions of technical mastery.  The only moment that might have inspired the ire of Was came during a rendition of Charlie Parker's "Visa."  Ryan Heinlein, Stan Kessler and Michael Shults contributed to a lengthy round of solos.  While each effort was exceptional, the selfless theme that had preceded the closing selection was absent.

In addition to the R&B-oriented albums mentioned above, Was has overseen new releases by jazz giants including Joe Lovano and Wayne Shorter.  The music documented on those albums may be difficult, but it's hardly selfish.  Thursday's performance in Kansas City was worthy of that robust tradition.

(The People's Liberation BIg Band will perform Ferber's compositions on Sunday, May 19, at the RecordBar.  Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: C.J. Boyd

The itinerant bassist and composer C.J. Boyd isn't a jazz musician.  Yet material like "We Know Time" should resonate with advocates of Charles Mingus and Charlie Haden.  Boyd kicks off the two-day KC Psychfest at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 17. 

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*KCJazzLark endorses Kansas City's latest wave of jazz talent.

*(T)his is music that may sound little like anything he's done before, but is equally impossible to imagine coming from anyone but Metheny," John Kelman suggests in a review of Pat Metheny's Tap: Jon Zorn's Book of Angels, Vol. 20.  The album will be released May 21.

*The Examiner previews the Jazz In the Woods festival.

*The Kansas City Live Music Blog published photos of Shay Estes, Jeff Harshbarger, Mark Lowrey and the Project H performing Beck's Song Reader at the RecordBar.

*This year's, ahem, Jazzoo fundraiser features a DJ, dueling pianos, dance and rock bands, a blues act and the jazz-tinged "antique pop" of Victor & Penny.

*Tweet o' the Week: Hermon Mehari- Had a blast opening for @TalibKweli this weekend. Live video of "Blowthehorn" - Reach and the Buhs (video)

*Comment o' the Week: Geek- I'm a big fan Diana Krall but how is she able to draw 2500 people? How would you know who she is unless you listen to jazz. Is her music played on any Kansas City radio stations? Is it because of her looks or her associaiton with Elvis? Kenny G is a house hold name. So was Chuck Mangletony in the 70's....(just joking..he used to play with Blakey)  How is Diana Krall so familiar internationally yet Karrin Allyson, Eliane Elias, Carol DuBoc, Ann Hampton Callaway are unknown to the majority of people.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Borne Back Ceaselessly Into the Past

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 


"Hip hop was not around in the 1920's," a reviewer sniffs in a dismissal of the soundtrack to the new film version of The Great Gatsby.  "They just ruined the film."

The use of contemporary popular music in a film that takes place in 1922 doesn't offend me.  I reckon that today's versions of the title character would listen to Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Kanye West.  Had the filmmakers elected to present a soundtrack that's true to the setting, however, some of the selections would likely have originated in Kansas City.

The Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawk Orchestra's swanky "Oriental Love Dreams" would complement a dance scene.  And hip attendees of Gatsby's parties would probably have been aware of Bennie Moten.  The rowdy rendition of "Evil Mama Blues" with Ada Brown evokes all kinds of unlawful sin.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)

Now's the Time: Cindy Bradley

Many of Kansas City's jazz musicians have tired of my churlish exhortations to document their work on video.  I had simple performance videos in mind, but the embedded Cindy Bradley clip has altered my expectations.  I now realize that slinky red dresses and assertive hair stylists are essential ingredients of a solid presentation.  Perhaps Bradley can give musicians in Kansas City a few style tips when she and Alex Bugnon appear at the Gem Theater on Saturday, May 18.  

Confirmation: Weekly News & Notes

*Joe Dimino posted new interviews with Jeff Harshbarger and Clint Ashlock at Neon Jazz.

*KCJazzLark alerts his readers to a BBC report about Herb Jeffries and shares a vintage photograph of the Mutual Musicians Foundation.

*The Grand Marquis created a new Kickstarter campaign.

*Jeneé Osterheldt spoke to Fanny Dunfee, Ahmad Alaadeen's widow, about her new book of poetry.

*Diana Krall's concert at the Midland theater was reviewed by The Kansas City Star.

*A critic raves about a Kansas City-inspired band's performance at a British jazz festival.

*Tweet o' the Week: parkavepirate- Easy Listening Jazz is like the Kansas City Royals...unobtrusive and yet secretly enjoyable with no real threat.

*Comment o' the Week: Russell- Time is no longer linear anymore.. it's a retrovirus

*From Rob Scheps: Early Notice: The Rob Scheps / Jim O'Connor Quintet- Rob Scheps - tenor sax, Jim O'Connor - trumpet/ flugelhorn, Roger Wilder - piano, Bob "Dwight" Bowman - bass, Brian Steever - drums, makes its Kansas Debut in these shows: Thursday October 3, 2013- Jazz On The Lake, Kansas City Kansas Community College, 12 pm - 1 pm.  Friday October 11, 2013- Take Five Coffee Bar, 7 pm - 10 pm…  Jim O'Connor is one of the greatest jazz trumpeters I've ever heard.

*From Doug Talley: This Friday, May 10, 8:30pm, we'll be performing the music of Wayne Shorter at the Blue Room, 18th and Vine, KCMO.  Don't miss this opportunity to hear pianist Sean Giddings, Shawnee Mission Northwest graduate currently living in Texas. Doug Talley - saxes, Joe Parisi - trumpet and flugelhorn, Sean Giddings - piano, Tim Brewer - acoustic and electric bass, Keith Kavanaugh - drums and cymbals.

(Original image by Plastic Sax.)